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Gokak racer wins off-road rally in Mumbai

Ayub Khan with his navigator Sahil Sheikh, who won the national-level title at the 'Maha Monsoon Madness 4x4 Off Road Rally 'MCUBE 2012' organised by Mudcats at Khalapur Track near Mumbai on July 13 and 14.

Ayub Khan, the young sports adventurer from the small town of Gokak, clinched the national level title at the Maha Monsoon Madness 4x4 Off Road Rally ‘MCUBE 2012’ organised by Mudcats at Khalapur Track near Mumbai last week.

Mr. Khan and his navigator from Hyderabad, Sahil Sheikh, beat 58 teams from across the country to win the championship.

The winners won the prize consisting of vehicle accessories estimated at Rs. 1.20 lakh. Jeetendar of Hyderabad bagged the second prize.

Mr. Khan, who arrived here on Tuesday, told
The Hindu
that he never expected that he could win because there were many experienced racers with expensive and modified jeeps, Indian and imported.

Mr. Khan’s was a Willys jeep of 1964 make.

He made alterations and assembled his four-wheeler for the sport in his automobile workshop in his home town. There were 59 teams of professional off-road racers from Calcutta, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Pune, Bangalore, Gulbarga, and Goa to compete with at the two-day event held on July 13 and 14.

Mr Khan said his regular exercises in the rough hilly terrains in and around the famous Gokak Falls and along the river helped him clinch the title. Mr. Khan said the off-road rally had multiple hurdles, including climbing up and scaling down on a steep incline ranging from 45 degrees to 60 degrees and three-to-six feet deep bases.

The competition was in four stages, designed by senior off-road racers to make the event extremely tough and challenging with muddy slush, deep water crossing, boulder crossing and hurdle clearing.

The entire event was based on speed, time and distance management.

The competition was in four stages, designed by senior off-road racers